When the original ten story building was built, the foundation was designed and built to eventually support a twenty story building.  MD Anderson chose to add the additional ten floors many years later and began exploring ways to strengthen the lower ten floors in a manner that would not shut down the hospital and disrupt patient treatment. The structural engineer determined that the existing elevator shafts provided a central core that would support the construction if the operation of the elevators was not impeded.  Delta Structural Technology proposed using carbon fiber bars imbeded in the walls of the elevator shafts and carbon fiber sheets in the transverse direction in the shafts for additional strengthening.  The method was approved and the strengthening installed. The additional ten floors were installed and the project was completed without shuting down any floors or disrupting patient treatment.  The project was awarded the Engineering News Record for Texas and Louisiana project of the year.